Giving a Helping Hand
by Pinkwald
Summary: Danny and Clara attempt to take their daughter shopping, who is trying her best to help out. [One-shot. Danny x Clara]


As Clara pushed along the shopping trolley, her husband entertained the infant sitting inside. He pulled faces and made silly noises, eliciting a series of joyful giggles from the tiny (but ever growing) one-year-old's mouth. The little girl looked on at Danny with glee as she was pushed around the supermarket, all sorts of new sounds and sights and smells, more importantly; new things to _touch_. Her fingers nimbly flexed around as she tried to reach for the bags of flour as Clara continued to push, using the shopping list to tap Danny on the head and get him to knock it off. This itself left the girl laughing, seeing her father quickly straighten up and walk alongside her.

When Clara stopped the trolley to get some eggs, their daughter noticed something that caught her eye. The sugar flowers. Of course, all she could think of was how bright and pretty the packaging looked, so as Danny and Clara looked at the egg prices, which were free range, and all the rest, she began to stretch towards the items.

Of course, she was only one. And therefore, she hadn't quite acquired the grace she needed to take something from the shelf of a supermarket store. This left her at a disadvantage that was made quite obvious. She practically pounced on the containers when they were within her reach, sending several tumbling onto the floor. That wasn't the worst part, as far as she was concerned. It was the part where she hit her chin on the edge of the trolley. Danny and Clara both turned around from their shopping to see the chaos the girl had caused while their backs were turned, and both were quick to exclaim her name.

"Ellie!" They cried, Danny rushing to pick up his daughter and comfort her, whilst Clara went to tidy away the stock that Ellie had knocked over. The crying child wailed as she nuzzled against Danny's chest, clearly in shock from hitting her chin on the trolley. He rocked her and held her close, speaking to her soothingly to try and get her to calm down. When he screams lessened to sobs, he pulled back and lifted her up a little higher, pressing gentle kisses to her cheeks as she spoke.

"Ellie, it's okay. You're okay." He whispered, tears still trailing down his daughter's cheeks. By the time, Clara had finished tidying away the sugar flowers, and had positioned herself in front of Danny, so that their daughter was between both of them. Clara's fingers carefully brushed away her tears, watching as Ellie's little hands began to rub at her eyes until they were sore and red. She stopped crying; only sobbing a little as Danny carefully put her back in the trolley. Ellie stared up at both of her parents carefully as they pushed away the trolley, picking up a 12 pack of eggs as they passed.

As they continued through the store, Ellie became happier again, and the shock from earlier was forgotten. The lesson she had learnt, however, was still raw and clear in her memories. So as her parents stopped to choose which biscuits they wanted to buy, she moved far more carefully than before.

Ellie made sure not to pounce as she eyed up the packet of biscuits with purple packaging, and this time, slowly clenched her fingers around the bag. As she pulled it back to her side, she giggled to herself. Her hands started to shake it up and down violently, beaming with pride that she had managed to get some biscuits without injuring herself. However, the young child wasn't aware that as she shook the bag, her hands were slowly tugging the packaging apart. Ellie was only made acutely aware of this fact as the bag ripped in half, animal shaped (and chocolate covered) biscuits raining down on her. To her, this was the best moment of the day. To her parents, it was an absolutely nightmare.

Clara ran up to Ellie and confiscated the bag, before joining Danny on the floor as both parents tried to put as many biscuits back in the bag as they could. Ellie, on the other hand, was contently sitting high in the trolley, putting the biscuits that had fallen into her lap or around her into her mouth, sucking on them and chewing happily. This time, it was Clara who stood up to attend to their daughter first. She looked at the girl sternly, taking the biscuits out of her hand and shoving the half eaten ones in her pocket grudgingly.

"No, Ellie. We don't open things and eat them when we haven't paid for them. Understand?" She asked the girl. Ellie was teary eyed as her biscuits had been taken away. So to avoid a tantrum in the middle of the store, Clara quickly returned the half eaten ones to her. There wasn't much more they could do with those, anyway.

Ellie took them happily, biting down on the first one with her teeth proudly. Not only proud that she had them in the first place, but that she had gotten them back. She looked at the shapes of the biscuits in her lap and smiled, pointing to one. The biscuit currently in her mouth falling out as she made a move to speak.

"Eff-ant!" She giggled, holding up an elephant shaped biscuit and giving it to her mother. Clara, now having forgotten about the incident, picked up Ellie and held her close. She was in shock, but this time, for a good reason.

"What did you say, Ellie?"

"Eff-ant! Mama Eff-ant!" She repeated with pride. Clara used her foot to gently alert Danny, and as he stood up, Clara got Ellie to repeat it again. "Eff-ant mama!" Ellie giggled, causing both parents to smile uncontrollably. It was as if the whole _shopping _incident had been completely forgotten. It had. Neither parent was angry at their daughter for trying to give a helping hand with their shopping, they were both completely enamoured with her tiny voice, and her first words.


End file.
